Minestrone literally means “big soup” and historically is a big pot of chunky soup made with a multitude of whatever vegetables are in season along with beans and pasta or rice. Traditionally meat free but you can beef it up with Italian sausage or chicken.

I was inspired to make my version of this delicious soup by Joanna Gaines recipe in her second cookbook. Such a classic recipe that I can never get enough of. 

Soup is my favorite food group and this is a special one. I always like to serve it with a loaf of crusty bread like my Rustic Sourdough Bread or my No Knead Artisan Bread.
I hope y’all enjoy! 

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel

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Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup is a hearty Italian dish that means “big soup”. Full of vegetables, pasta, beans, and Italian sausage, it is hearty and delicious.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword beans, Italian, Main Course, Pasta,, soup, Squash

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage optional
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 2 large carrots diced
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1 yellow squash diced
• 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 cup ditalini pasta or small shell pasta
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 - 15.5 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 - 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 3 cups baby spinach
• Freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves for garnish if desired

Instructions

• In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage in the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a couple minutes.
• Add the onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, and squash. Mix and sauté for about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, broth, pasta, basil, salt, and black pepper. Simmer till veggies and pasta are soft.
• Add the spinach and beans and simmer for a couple minutes to let the spinach wilt.
• Serve and garnish bowls with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Delicious served with crusty sourdough bread.

The post Minestrone Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

We always have a ham for Christmas and Easter, and then we’re left with a ham bone and I always make this soup! I leave a little meat on the bone so it’s nice and meaty. Of course, you could just use some cubed ham for this soup too but so much flavor comes from simmering the bone. 

Ingredients needed for Ham Bone Bean Soup:

(scroll down for complete recipe with measurements and instructions) 

• dry great northern beans
• chicken broth
• 1 large meaty ham bone
• dried thyme
• dried oregano
• rubbed sage
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• medium onions, chopped
• large carrots, chopped
• celery ribs, chopped
• olive oil

How to Make the Soup:

• In a large pot, place the beans and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil for a couple minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the water off the beans and rinse them.
• Add broth, ham bone, and seasonings to the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
• In a skillet, sauté onions, carrots and celery in oil for about ten minutes or until slightly softened. Add veggies to the soup. Cover and simmer until veggies and beans are soft.
• Remove ham bone from soup. Debone ham and cut into chunks and return to the soup.
• Serve with cornbread. Here’s the recipe for my quick and so delicious skillet cornbread!  

I hope y’all enjoy this delicious soup as much as our family does. Enjoy! 
Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

”A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Ham Bone Bean Soup

This savory ham bone bean soup is my favorite way to use a leftover ham bone. Full of beans, veggies, ham, and savory seasonings and nourishing chicken broth. I always serve it with a pan of steaming hot skillet cornbread on the side. 

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword beans, Ham, soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 2 cups 1 lb. dry great northern beans
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 large meaty ham bone
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 medium onions chopped
• 3 large carrots chopped
• 3 celery ribs chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• In a large pot, place the beans and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and boil for a couple minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the water off the beans and rinse them.
• Add broth, ham bone, and seasonings to the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
• In a skillet, sauté onions, carrots and celery in oil for about ten minutes or until slightly softened. Add veggies to the soup. Cover and simmer until veggies and beans are soft.
• Remove ham bone from soup. Debone ham and cut into chunks and return to the soup.
• Serve with cornbread.

The post Ham Bone Bean Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This simple cabbage soup is full of nutrients and great for a quick dinner. Made with ground beef, cabbage, tomatoes, and chicken broth, it’s one of those simple hearty meals that are surprisingly delicious and feel like home.  

There is something comforting about a simple soup made with humble ingredients like ground beef and cabbage. It’s nourishing and healthy and delicious. Warms you up from the inside out.

This soup was adapted from my cabbage goulash recipe which I’ve been making for years. I was going to make the goulash one day and discovered that I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand and in that moment I decided to turn it into a soup. Soup is my favorite food group! I left out the tomato paste and added chicken broth. Other than that it’s basically the same recipe. 

Ingredients needed for Cabbage Soup:

(Scroll down for the complete recipe with full measurements and instructions.) 

• ground beef
• onion
• chicken broth
• diced tomatoes 
• vinegar
• chili powder 
• garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper 
• cabbage 

How to Make Cabbage Soup: 

• Brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a skillet. Season the meat with additional salt, pepper, and garlic powder with it cooks. I ALWAYS season all my meat while it’s cooking instead of waiting till afterwards. It holds the flavor in better that way and gives it an incredible boost.
• In a large pot, put the cooked ground beef and the rest of the ingredients except the cabbage and stir. 
• Add the chopped cabbage and simmer on low until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. 
• Serve and enjoy!

Here’s to many meals that consist of simple comforting soups,

Rachel Ballinger ☕️♥️

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Simple Cabbage Soup

This simple cabbage soup is full of nutrients and great for a quick dinner. Made with ground beef, cabbage, tomatoes, and chicken broth, it’s one of those hearty meals that are surprisingly delicious. 

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword beef, Cabbage, soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth more if desired
• 1 - 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 head of cabbage chopped

Instructions

• In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion. Season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder while it’s cooking.
• In a large pot, add the cooked ground beef and the rest of the ingredients, except the cabbage and stir.
• Add the chopped cabbage and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Enjoy!

The post Simple Cabbage Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This creamy bacon potato soup is so delicious and perfect for colder weather. Full of potatoes, sour cream, and bacon, it’s like a loaded baked potato soup. When you top a bowl of this hot soup with cheese, sour cream, and green onions it takes it to the next level of comforting goodness. 

Why I Like this Creamy Bacon Potato Soup: 

• Soup is my favorite food group and this one is very yummy!
• It’s full of so many delicious things. Bacon, potatoes, butter, cream, sour cream, it 100% fits in the comfort food category. 
• It’s like a loaded baked potato but in soup form. And who doesn’t like a loaded baked potato? 
• It’s a great soup for when you want to take a meal to a new mom or to somebody when they lose a loved one. Pair it with some soft homemade dinner rolls and chocolate chip orange scones and it’s a winner of a meal. 

Ingredients needed to make Creamy Bacon Soup: 

(Scroll down for full recipe with measurements) 

• bacon, chopped
• butter, salted 
• onion, chopped
• celery stalks, chopped
• large carrots, chopped
• minced garlic
• flour
• chicken broth
• potatoes, peeled and diced into 1” cubes
• whole milk
• salt
• pepper
• heavy cream
• sour cream
• parsley
• Toppings: Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives or green onions 

How to make the soup:

(Scroll down for complete recipe) 

1. First you sauté the bacon in a big pot. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove and place on a paper toweled lined plate to drain. 
2. Add butter to the bacon grease and melt. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté till tender. Add garlic.

3. Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth. Sauté for a couple minutes.

4. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, milk, salt, and pepper to the pot.

5. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft.

6. Reduce heat to low and partially blend with an immersion blender. I like the texture of mostly smooth but with still some potato chunks. Alternatively you can blend half the soup in a blender if you don’t have an immersion blender. Here’s the immersion blender I have. It’s powerful and amazing and one of my favorite tools. 

7. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, parsley, and cooked bacon and stir well.

8. Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.

9. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives or green onions. Enjoy!

I realize this recipe makes a big pot of soup. I love it because it’s enough for our family with leftovers for the next day. But you can definitely split the recipe in half. If you split it in half, use about 6 potatoes. 

Enjoy the soup my friends!
~Rachel Ballinger 💕

”A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Creamy Bacon Potato Soup

This creamy bacon potato soup is so delicious and perfect for colder weather. Full of potatoes, sour cream, and bacon, it’s like a loaded baked potato soup.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Bacon, Potato, soup

Servings 24 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon chopped
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 celery stalks chopped
• 2 large carrots chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 quarts 8 cups chicken broth
• 5 lbs potatoes peeled and diced into 1” cubes
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp parsley
• Sour cream shredded cheddar cheese, and chives or green onions for toppings

Instructions

• Place chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Add butter, chopped onion, celery, and carrots to the fat and sauté over medium heat until veggies are tender about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth. Sauté for a couple minutes.
• Add the chicken broth, potatoes, milk, salt, and pepper to the pot.
• Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft.
• Reduce heat to low and partially blend with an immersion blender. I like the texture of mostly smooth but with still some potato chunks. Alternatively you can blend half the soup in a blender if you don’t have an immersion blender.
• Add the heavy cream, sour cream, parsley, and cooked bacon and stir well.
• Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
• Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives or green onions.

The post Creamy Bacon Potato Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

If you’re looking for the perfect meal for a chilly autumn evening, this pumpkin chili will hit the spot. Full of warm spices and protein, the ground beef pairs perfectly and unexpectedly with pumpkin and cinnamon to make a dish that will satisfy your fall food cravings! 

And if you want to elevate the autumn vibes experience, serve the soup in a big pumpkin! So much fun and the kids and adults alike love it. Scrape off bits of the cooked pumpkin from the inside and add it to the soup for extra flavor.

Reasons to make this pumpkin chili:

• Because its’s the perfect fall dish! Warm and cozy and full of protein. 
• It’s fast to throw together. A quick delicious homemade meal. Make a pan of skillet cornbread to go with it and you’ll make everybody happy. 
• If you decide to serve it in a pumpkin, you’ll make the best fall memories for your kiddos. They’ll never forget when mom served the chili in a pumpkin. 

How to Prepare the Pumpkin for Chili:

Step One:

Pick a nice round pumpkin. Wash it and dry it off. 

Step Two: 

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the top off in a circle around the stem. Remove the seeds and strings from the inside of the pumpkin. Save them to roast for a snack or feed them to your chickens!

Step Three:

Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

Step Four:

Place on a baking pan or large cast iron skillet and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour or until soft. You don’t want it falling apart and sagging, it needs to held its shape still. You can prick it with a fork along the top or in the inside to see if it’s soft. 

Step Five :

Ladle your prepared soup into the pumpkin and place the lid on it until ready to serve. If your husband is nearby, have him pour the chili into the pumpkin for you. Much faster!
I like to set the filled pumpkin in the middle of the table. It makes a beautiful centerpiece! 

I doubled the recipe for the amount of chili shown in the pictures. I got the inspiration for this pumpkin chili from The Pioneer Woman. She’s amazing and her food is always delicious. Here’s the link to her recipe: Pumpkin Chili.

So just prepare your pumpkin and while it’s baking in the oven, make the chili and cornbread. Set the table, gather the family, and make some beautiful autumn memories together. 🍂

Lots of Love, 

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

”A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin chili is perfect for chilly autumn evenings! Full of all the classic chili flavors with a hint of cinnamon and pumpkin.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Chili, dinner, Ground Beef, Pumpkin, soup

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 15-oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Cornbread shredded cheddar cheese for garnish, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired

Instructions

• In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef and season with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder.
• After cooking a couple minutes, add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Keep sautéing until beef is cooked and veggies are softened.
• Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
• Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, and chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with cornbread, cheese, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

The post Pumpkin Chili appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

If you love the classic flavors of lasagna but don’t have the time or patience to make it, then this recipe is for you. You literally just put everything into a pot and it turns into this amazing dish. My daughter ate it and immediately requested it for her birthday meal. I love when a recipe is a solid family hit. No complaints!

Scroll down for complete recipe with measurements and instructions. 

Ingredients Needed:

• ground beef
• salt, pepper, garlic powder 
• large onion, chopped
• minced garlic
• petite diced tomatoes
• spaghetti sauce
• chicken broth
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• dried parsley
• salt
• pepper
• lasagna noodles
  
• heavy cream
• cottage cheese
• shredded parmesan
• shredded mozzarella

Don’t you just love a good one pot meal? This is one of the best ones you’ll ever try, trust me! Brown the meat and onion in the pot, add the sauce, broth, cheese, and pasta and cook till noodles are soft. It’s really that simple. So delicious! Make some warm buttery garlic breadsticks to go with it. The kids dip them in the soup and absolutely devour the whole meal. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! 
~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”     ~Rachel 

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Lasagna Soup

All the classic Italian flavors of lasagna but in soup form and ready in just 35 minutes. Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor, this lasagna soup is sure to become a family favorite!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Lasagna, Main Course

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• salt pepper, garlic powder to taste
• ½ large onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes
• 24 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 12 lasagna noodles
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• shredded mozzarella

Instructions

• In a large pot add your ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic. Season the meat to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Over medium heat sauté everything until the meat is fully cooked through.
• Add diced tomatoes (do not drain), spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper to the pot of cooked meat.
• Add the heavy cream, cottage cheese, and shredded parmesan to the pot. Give everything a big stir to combine.
• Break the lasagna noodles into bite size pieces and add to the soup pot. Stir everything to combine.
• Allow soup to cook on medium-high heat until the pasta is al dente. After noodles are done remove the pot from the stove and serve topped with shredded mozzarella and enjoy!

The post Lasagna Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This creamy butternut squash soup is one of my favorite fall meals. It’s bursting with savory autumn flavors. I serve it with thick slices of sourdough bread. 

Butternut squash store great and I got this particular one from a friend’s garden awhile back. It’s extra big so I added some extra broth. I’ve found that the easiest way for me to peel a butternut is to slice it, then peel it, and then core it and chop it. Works great! 

My family isn’t big soup fans which makes me sad because soup is my absolute favorite food group. It’s comfort food at its finest and I could eat it three times a day and still want some for my bedtime snack.
But they have learned to like a couple soups and this is one of them. Even tho it has no meat they like it for some reason and I’m so glad! I always make sure to bake some fresh sourdough bread to go with it. 

This soup recipe is a great base to make all kinds of soup. You can take pretty much any veggie and add some onion and garlic, cook it down in some broth, puree, and add some cream and you’ve got a delicious soup. Add some sweet potatoes and carrots to the butternut squash for a yummy twist. For extra flavor, you can roast the veggies in the oven till soft and then puree and add the broth and cream. The coconut milk is a great non-dairy alternative to the cream. 

Having an immersion blender is definitely the quickest and least messy way to blend the soup but it works just as well to blend it in your blender.
Enjoy the soup my friends,

~Rachel ☕️💕

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Butternut Squash Soup

This creamy autumn squash soup is savory and delicious. I like to serve it with sourdough bread.

Course Main Course, Soup

Keyword Butternut Squash, soup, Squash

Servings 6 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups butternut squash (one regular sized squash) peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 medium thinly sliced onion
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• ½ cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Instructions

• Put all ingredients except cream/coconut milk into a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 40 minutes, or until squash is tender.
• Let cool slightly. Puree with hand held immersion blender or transfer to a large bowl. Puree 2 cups of the squash mixture at a time in a blender. Return pureed mixture to pot. Repeat with remaining soup until all is pureed.
• Simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir cream/coconut milk into soup and warm through. Serve hot with some sourdough bread!

The post Butternut Squash Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This soup is delicious served with some warm skillet cornbread. But if you want a fun fall meal that makes the best memories with your kids and loved ones try serving this soup in a pumpkin! It’s such a beautiful presentation and centerpiece for your table.  

To serve this soup in a pumpkin: 

Get a nice medium to large pumpkin. Wash your pumpkin, cut the top off, and clean the inside out. Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a pan and bake in 350 degree oven for one hour or until soft where you can poke it with a fork but not too soft that it’s falling apart.

Meanwhile make your soup. Once the pumpkin is cooked, ladle the soup into the pumpkin and serve, scraping off bits of pumpkin on the inside of the pumpkin to add to the soup. So yummy and the perfect warm and cozy meal!

Happy fall y’all,

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️

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Autumn Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

This warm and savory soup made with pork sausage and sweet potatoes and rice is a comforting fall dish.

Course Main Course, Soup

Keyword Pork, Pumpkin, Sausage, soup, Sweet Potato

Servings 12 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground pork sausage
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 stalks celery chopped
• 4 carrots chopped
• 4 medium sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth and more as needed
• 1 cup rice
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp parsley
• Salt pepper, garlic powder to taste

Instructions

• Brown sausage in a skillet.
• Meanwhile in a large pot sauté the onion, celery, carrots, and sweet potato in the butter.
• Add the broth, rice, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Once the veggies are mostly soft add the browned sausage and let it simmer for a couple minutes.
• Serve with cornbread.

Notes

Adding some chopped kale right at the end with the sausage would be delicious twist.

To Serve in a Pumpkin:
Wash a large pumpkin, cut the top off, and clean the inside out. Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a pan and bake in 350 degree oven for one hour or until soft where you can poke it with a fork but not too soft that it’s falling apart. Meanwhile make your soup. Once the pumpkin is cooked, ladle the soup into the pumpkin and serve, scraping off bits of pumpkin on the inside of the pumpkin to add to the soup. So yummy and the perfect warm and cozy meal!

The post Autumn Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.